About rigging questions ( long). .... Thanks

[Smilin' Jack]

With in a month I will move everything outside to put the wings on and set the angle of incidence on the wing. A couple of questions already

1. did you have your control sticks perfect before you put the wings on?

2. Is this a good time to do the horizontal and vertical stab also even if it is not the next item in sequence in the building manual

3. I also plan on doing my wing tips at this time since I have the lights installed already

4. Are the wings basically symetrical since I already have a dynon roll servo installed and can not put the rigging device on the right belcrank. Can I use two long boards and clamp the alierons in a netural position?

5. I have notice several RV's that when the alierons are neutral that either th e other side does not line up wit the tip or one is down and the other is up.. I assume that this is the time to get this all set even so every thing is in
Aignment. That is the reason for the question above.

I have read the forum about Zero and positive i wing incidence . Do it like Vans states?

I know this is long but thanks for your responses and suggestions.
Smilin jack

 

[taflores]

rigging

I notice my ailerons are not even with my wing tips, I do have a heavy left wing. I am resorting to squeezin the trailing edge of the aileron. Do you have the bat wing tips?

 

[bruceh]

I started with the bellcrank jig device and set the ailerons in place with respect to the tooling alignment holes in the end rib. The flaps on my -9 in the fully retracted position aligned perfectly to the neutral ailerons. I would certainly use the bellcrank jig device on both sides, even if you have to temporarily remove the servo. I haven't had the wings on the fuselage yet, so when the time comes (soon hopefully) I will only have to deal with setting the lengths of the main control tubes for the ailerons, and the flap connections.

I did my wing tips with the wings sitting in the storage cradle. The wing tip ends get aligned to the neutral aileron position and then match drilled to the wing skins. There is plenty of room to move the wing tips around inside the end ribs to get the trailing edge to move up or down. A little bit of rotation forward or aft on the fiberglass tip will move the trailing edge quite a bit.

I have already mounted the tail pieces and put the elevator control rods in the neutral position (elevators clamped in line with the HS, bellcrank assembly centered on the bolt hole in the bellcrank rib). Setting up the elevator position on the control stick is independent of mounting the wings.

As for setting the incidence of the wings, why wouldn't you follow Van's recommendations?

 

[Smilin' Jack]

Bruce and others thanks for the response.
I have no problem setting the wings as Van recommends, I have just read where others who are trying to get more speed have set theirs at 0

There are so many things you can do as you build and so many variations that one almost gets lost in all the new ideas that folks have done on their RV;s and by most part most are excellent ideas... I wish I had the time to invest in making a lot of the improvements but for now just want to get this done and get it in the air. So we keep plugging away when were home accomplish this goal of mine.

If I was younger.... I'd take longer building and probably incorporate a few ideas. One I will was a cowling louver system to help the cooling while in a climb attitude. It was slick.

Thanks
Smilin' jack

 

[newtech]

Bruce and others thanks for the response.
I have no problem setting the wings as Van recommends, I have just read where others who are trying to get more speed have set theirs at 0

There are so many things you can do as you build and so many variations that one almost gets lost in all the new ideas that folks have done on their RV;s and by most part most are excellent ideas... I wish I had the time to invest in making a lot of the improvements but for now just want to get this done and get it in the air. So we keep plugging away when were home accomplish this goal of mine.

If I was younger.... I'd take longer building and probably incorporate a few ideas. One I will was a cowling louver system to help the cooling while in a climb attitude. It was slick.

Thanks
Smilin' jack

We have six flying RVs in our EAA chapter and one that is going on 10 years in the build. Can you guess which ones were built to plans and which one has all of the great modifications?

 

[Pmerems]

My suggestion

I would follow Van's instructions to set the incidence angle. Don't do anything different. Don't forget to minimize any forward sweep of the wing while setting the incident angle.

I would use the van's alignment jig even if you have to remove the AP servo or linkages to set the pushrod lengths.

The wing tips aren't perfect and there is a lot of variation in mounting them,so don't rely on them to set your aileron neutral position.

I used a simple jig to set the ailerons in neutral position for setting the pushrod lengths and installing the tips so that the trailing edges are all lined up. One jig per side (about $8). The jig bar is thin enough to have it in place when installing the wing tip (once you do some initial trimming). You may have to split the trailing edge of the wingtip and rebond it to make it right.

My RV-7A trailing edges (ailerons, flaps, wing tips) all line up great. No heavy wing and no rudder trim tab needed. Flies true.

 

[randyintejas]

"You may have to split the trailing edge of the wingtip and rebond it to make it right."

Thats no joke! Both of my tips are a ? off after installing! Rigged the aileron?s first and worked them as much as possible but, it is what it is. Split time!

 

[Rupester]

splitting the wingtip trailing edges ...

...is often required. After aileron rigging per Vans, both my wingtip trailing edges are low by almost 3/8". I'm in the process of splitting and rebonding now. Some say that 1/4" of misalignment there has little to no effect on fly-ability, but I decided the non-alignment when the plane is on the ground would drive me crazy in short order. Vans said their experience shows flyability VERY much affected by basic aileron alignment, and much less affected (like almost not at all) by wingtip alignment.

 

[Smilin' Jack]

Paul, Randy and Terry
Thanks
I had never heard of folks having to split the tips. Great thing to watch for .
I pray I have the same luck that Paul had and everything lines up.

Paul. Looks better than the wood alignment stick Van's uses

Smilin' Jack